xkcd_timefandomcom-20200216-history
Newpix
A newpix (newpic is also used, plural: newpix) is a unit of time roughly equal to one hour of outsider time. It was originally a unit of time roughly equal to one half-hour, or thirty minutes of outsider time. Derives from the space of time between updating frames of the One True Comic during its first 5 days of outsider time (or 240 newpix). On Saturday 30 March 2013, the comic began updating every hour of outsider time, called a longpix, though the two terms have largely become synonymous in common usage. The unit was first conceived in the forum. The original half-hour newpix is sometimes referred to as "shortpix" now if there is a need to differentiate from the one-hour newpix. Newpix are a metric unit of measurement and convert directly to the standard TimeFrame. Newpix divide evenly into 20 metric grains or 100 motes. Newpix can measure either duration or time of day. In duration newpix are simply stated in multiples, such as 4 newpix, which would be described as 4 TimeFrames in standard, or 2 hours in outsider time. When measured in time newpix represent a time by expressing the current day since The Beginning of Time followed by the multitple of newpix. For example 2 days and 18 newpix would equal 9:00am in outsider time. The start of a day in newpix is represented by the metric New Daily Pic (NDP). A newpic is reached on the exact milli-mote that the comic has updated and can be synchronized with outsider time on picture updates.http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=101043&start=3400#p3307660 In recent times, newpix is also used on the discussion thread as a name for any frame of the comic. This usage has largely usurped that of the once common "TimeFrame" on the One True Thread. Newpix is now interchangeably used both ways: as a unit of time and in reference to a frame of Time. Brief history of newpix 18-19 half-hours (I humbly submit that we begin measuring time in "newpix", equal to thirty standard minutes) : — ''TheMulattoMaker *The watchers of the sandcastle had started measuring time in half-hours. *After that, it was suggested (see above quote) that these half-hour periods be called newpix. *So, newpix are indeed what the Outsiders would call 30 minutes.http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?p=3306534#p3306534 The debate between newpix and newpic Debate rages as to whether the singular form is ''newpic or newpix, ''although the more prevalent belief seems to be that the singular should be ''newpix in the same way that a matrix is the singular form. A few even suggest that the plural form should be newpices. Those who vote to make usage of both newpic and newpix as singular to be acceptable argue that, “If singular 'they' is ok, then this can work. ’Newpic’ will just be a less grammatically satisfying alternative.” Further proposed units zk2556's suggestion One system, proposed by member zk2556, denotes terms to be used for many lengths of time. Terms such as "days" and "hours" used by Outsiders are clearly not sufficient. *1 - Newpic/Newpix *2 - Tupix *4 - Quadpix *8 - Octopix *16 - Hexapix *24 - Dayapix *48 - Tudayapix *96 - Fordayapix *168 - Weekapix and finally, an infinite amount of Newpix - Alldapix Primis's suggestion Another system, proposed by member Primis, was brought up for discussion. comic 927: Standards ]] *The beginning of our calendars shall hereby be the beginning of Time. *Each NewPix is the quantized time between two frames of Time. *milliPix is 1/1024th of a NewPix (1.75 "outsider" seconds) *MACPix is 48 NewPix and is equal to the time of one earth rotational period in the outside world. (MAC Addresses are 48 bits wide) *KiloPix is equal to 1024 NewPix, and is the standard "Month" *UltraPix is equal to 17. KiloPix. This is our standard "Year" At the end of this period, there is a 2 day "Month" to celebrate The One True Comic. Special Case: Every three UltraPix, there is one Leap MACPix to keep the calendar in sync with the sun "outside" Many members found this system to be far too confusing and needlessly complex, however. A clear decision has not yet been made on which system, if either, to make standard. Ashtar's suggestion Another system proposed by member Ashtar is based on base-2520 cycles of the newpix. *A base-2520 digit is written as three characters, as bases 12-15-14, where transdecimal digits are represented as capital letters A-E. Thus the number before 1000000000 is BEDBEDBED. *The beginning of the calendar is determined by the beginning of the One True Comic. *The newpix (np) is the difference between two successive uploads of the Comic. It can be roughly approximated since time 122.0 as 8C7B68600000 (dec. 33093474372000) transitions between the hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-97 atom. *Prefixes are also in base 2520, replacing the new- prefix in newpix. *The positive prefixes are (all numbers decimal): unqua- (14), biqua- (168), triqua- (2520), quadqua- (35280), pentqua- (423360), hexqua- (6350400), septqua, octqua, ennqua, decqua, levqua, zenqua, cistqua, unnilqua, ununqua, etc., following base 2520 numerals in the style of IUPAC element nomenclature. Digits A-E are roots "dec", "lev", "zen", "cist", "frat". *The negative prefixes are slightly irregular (all numbers decimal): uncia- (1/12), binia- (1/180), trinia- (1/2520), quadria- (1/30240), pentia- (1/453600), hextia, septia, octia, ennia, dectia, leftia, zentia, cistia, unnilia, ununcia, etc. *The date is written as the number of newpices since the beginning of Time, with positional base-2520 numbers after the radix point if precision is needed. Fractions in base 2520: Azule's suggestionhttp://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=101043&start=24560#p3355900 dix=day wix=week mip=month yip=year The current system The most widely-used system currently in use is a variation on Azule's: xip=day wip=week mip=month yip=year Longpix On Saturday 30 March 2013, instead of every thirty minutes, the frames began to update every hour, introducing the unit longpix. Since the length of Time that has occured in longpix is longer than the period of Time when it was new and occured in newpix, the use of "newpix" has been evolving to actually mean "longpix", although the two terms are not actually the same precise interval. But with terms of Time, as with all language, common usage occasionally supercede previous definitions. References Category:Further proposed units Category:Time Measurement